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I have a new project that is requiring lag bolts to ancher down a panel. The problem is the owner wants all the fastening hardware to be fancier like allen heads etc. The smallest lag bolt I can get away with has a 9/16 head and I would like to go to a bigger head size if possible. The problem is finding covers for the bolt heads to make them more cosmeticly pleasing. I have found several places on the net that have this covers, the problem is the ones that are reasonable aka not $5 a piece only go up to a 7/16 head. Every thing above a 7/16 head size seems to be 5-7 dollars a piece instead of 50 cents a piece like at http://www.pro-dec.com/Satin-Chrome-...XCAP-7-16-SCHR.

Please if someone could help it would be great!!!
Thanks in advance, Nick

Are these in a location that people have access to, or do they only need to look good from a distance? Do they need to be easy to get out later?

If only visible from a moderate distance, You might try finding aluminum (or similar) tubing with an ID that is about 0.65"ID (the circle that circumscribes the bolt head), cut off lengths a little longer than the head height, and JBweld (or other metal filled epoxy for reasonable color match) in place (fill and smooth).

What is the weak link? Why would a screw with a 7/16 head fail? Would it pull through? What are you screwing through (ie all the way through the plastic and 2x6 or can you not penetrate the 2x6)? What kind of tensile load would each screw have? What kind of sheer load would each screw have? Is each panel subject to people touching or leaning on them? Is this a balcony or a decorative feature out of reach.

I might be able to help you if I understand what's holding what... And when you are talking about allen heads... do you mean a standard socket cap screw? or a nonstandard pan head.

One possibility is to use plastic lug nut covers. They can be found on the internet in packs of 10 for about 5 bucks in almost every shape and design you can imagine from naked women to Iron Crosses to plain chromed plastic cylinders.

I am particularly interested in the detail (ie size shape and angles or a picture or scanned sketch) of your mounting bracket and the connection to the pony wall.

80% of failures are from 20% of causesNever compromise your principles today in the name of furthering them in the future."All I ever wanted was an honest week's pay for an honest day's work." -Sgt. Bilko"We are generally better persuaded by reasons we discover ourselves than by those given to us by others." -Pascal"Since we cannot know all that there is to be known about anything, we ought to know a little about everything." -Pascal

The pony wall is going to have a 2x6 or so top with a 1/2 thick piece of plastic on top which my mounting plate is going to rest. I looked at wood inserts so I could use better looking bolts but they arent strong enough for the app.

I really need a source Thanks for the replies guys

If I understand this, you are hanging the stuff 20 feet up in wood.
Inside or outside in the weather?

Be safe
Jeff

Give more than you get and
you will get more than ya need.
This is true for the good and bad
that life puts out.

Another idea is to go with a flat head anchor bolt and flare out your holes on top, leaving a flush allen head look.
Example 92403A805(2 to 3 bucks each)

Yet another idea is to drill a 5/8" or so hole on top of the tube, then a 1/4" hole on the bottom. Use 1/4" Tapcons to attach to the floor, then buy or fab caps to coxer up the 5/8 inch holes on top. Hopefully you get the idea.

Disregard all this I reread the OP and believe you want to attach to wood and not concrete.

I have a new project that is requiring lag bolts to ancher down a panel. The problem is the owner wants all the fastening hardware to be fancier like allen heads etc. The smallest lag bolt I can get away with has a 9/16 head and I would like to go to a bigger head size if possible. The problem is finding covers for the bolt heads to make them more cosmeticly pleasing. I have found several places on the net that have this covers, the problem is the ones that are reasonable aka not $5 a piece only go up to a 7/16 head. Every thing above a 7/16 head size seems to be 5-7 dollars a piece instead of 50 cents a piece like at http://www.pro-dec.com/Satin-Chrome-...XCAP-7-16-SCHR.

Please if someone could help it would be great!!!
Thanks in advance, Nick

ok guys thanks for the replies. As I detailed in my previous post the lags are going though the 1/2 plastic and then the 2x6. the panel is 4 feet high by 12 inchs wide. roughly half the panel is hanging over a ledge. They have to be lag bolts I have no access to bolt through the board and other methods for bolting wont cut it.. As I posted the bolt heads have to be attactive and the lag heads wont look good enough. I dont have a problem mounting the panels just finding caps for the larger head that I have to use (that dont cost 5 bucks a piece). Thanks again guys, Nick